The County Government of Kajiado has set aside Sh100 million to fight drought that has taken a toll on residents. Governor Joseph ole Lenku said the situation is dire. He said urgent interventions are required to save hungry farmers and their livestock.
"As we speak here, more than 60,000 families cannot afford a meal a day, more than 450,000 heads of livestock valued at Sh13.6 billion are on the verge of death, and 75 per cent of wild animals have been affected and are already dying. We need to move with speed to save lives'' said Governor Lenku.
He was speaking during a crisis meeting yesterday attended by 15 humanitarian agencies, food security agencies and conservation stakeholders.
Lenku, who was on his first day in office since he was re-elected, said the county had not received adequate rains in the last two years.
Among the short-term proposals at the meeting were support for more than 280,000 school-going children with supplementary food and dietary rations at an approximate cost of Sh16 per child per day for the next three months.
Food for work initiative
Other issues included how to provide relief food for vulnerable persons at a cost of Sh1,400 per month for the next three months, the food for work programme, supplementary feeding for children under five years and breastfeeding mothers, and cash transfers for the vulnerable.
"In the livestock sector, we will focus on supplying feed supplements, provision of hey, water provision including fuel subsidy, rehabilitation, and solarisation of community boreholes. We will also introduce a livestock off-take to our farmers'' said Lenku.
''We call upon to the National Government, NGOs, private sector and stakeholders to help us save lives," added the governor.
He said the county leadership will continue sensitising residents on climate change to avert livestock losses during the drought.
"In this regard, my administration wishes to encourage farmers to embrace modern farming techniques during the drought season. We will focus on value addition of animal products through cooperative societies," he said.
Hunger is ravaging Mailwa, Lenkisim, Poka, Imbirrikani, Purko, Maparasha, Shompole, Mosiro, Dalalekutuk, Mile 46, Meto, Ildamat, Kitengela West and settlements surrounding Isinya.
Children are out of school as most have moved to other areas with their parents in search for water and pasture for the animals.
A big number of herders have crossed over to Tanzania searching for pasture. Many of the livestock are weak to trek and are left behind to die.
John ole Sowaina, who is a resident of Torosei, told The Standard that he has lost more than seventy cows to the drought.
"The situation here is indeed dire. I have already lost livestock that I depend on to pay school for my children. I don't know what to do next," he said. He said women and children are left at home as men move with livestock in search of grass.
